Former Moto2 rider replaces Toseland

AFTER James Toseland's immediate retirement due to his wrist injury BMW Italia will replace the two-time WSB champion with former Spanish Stock Extreme champion and Moto2 rider Javier Fores.

Originally riding for the Aspar Moto2 squad, Xavi Fores has been drafted in to replace Toseland after his being forced to announce his retirement earlier this month. Fores joins the BMW Italia team for the final three rounds of the World Superbike championship having had experience on S1000RR after the 25-year-old claimed the 2010 Spanish CEV Stock Extreme title on board BMW's superbike.

According to Serafino Foti, Sports Director for the BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team: “Xavi is a young rider with a fairly good amount of experience both with 4-stroke motorcycles and with international competitions. He has demonstrated that he can be both fast and consistent. Last year in the CEV Superstock Extreme he won six of the seven races in the championship.

“Considering the short amount of time we have before next weekend’s race in Imola, his experience riding a BMW S1000RR is important. As a matter of fact, having already raced with this motorcycle, Xavi is already familiar with many of its characteristics; and it should therefore be relatively easy for him to adapt to our motorcycle.”

Fores started racing minimotos in 1992 and his credentials date back 1999 when he won a single-brand Aprilia competition in the 50cc category and placed second in the 125cc category,. In 2000 he made his debut in the CEV 125 and placed 15th at the end of the championship.

In 2003 Fores took part in the CEV Supersport, where he placed third the following year. In 2005 he rode a Suzuki in the World Supersport Championship. In 2009 he raced in the FIM Cup Superstock 1000, while last year, aboard a BMW S1000RR, he won the CEV Stock Extreme. Xavi started this year riding for the Aspar outfit in the Moto2 championship and after seven rounds parted company in a mutual agreement after failing to score any points.